Trolley cushioning and holding means for suspended closures



July 4, 1961 J. M. LEE

TROLLEY CUSHIONING AND HOLDING MEANS FOR SUSPENDED CLOSURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10, 1958 INVENTOR. Jam ML 66,

J. ML LEE July 4, 1961 TROLLEY CUSHIONING AND HOLDING MEANS FOR SUSPENDED CLOSURES Filed July 10, 1958 Fi m W n M I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. M. LEE

July 4, 1961 TROLLEY CUSHIONING AND HOLDING MEANS FOR SUSPENDED CLOSURES Filed July '10, less INVENTOR. Jami Klee,

United States Patent 2,990 566 'IROLLEY CUSHIONING AND HOLDING MEANS FOR SUSPENDED CLOSURES James M. Lee, North Manchester, Ind., assignor to New Castle Products, Inc., New Castle, Ind., a corporation of Indiana 'Filed July 10, 1958, Ser. No. 747,696 3 Claims. (Cl. 16-87) This invention relates to a cushioning and holding means for association with a track and trolley assembly from. which a closure member is suspended.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a new and improved resilient operating. catch for foldable and slidable doors and partitions which are suspended from an overhead track and trolley assembly, wherein the catch cushions the closing movement of the door or partition and yieldingly holds such member in its closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved closure controlling means which is economicalto produce and simple to install in atr-ack and trolley assembly, which provides an elfective cushioning and holding action, which is easily adjustable, and which requires little or no maintenance.

While the foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention, other more specific objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the constiuction, arrangement and purpose of the features of novelty'i 'ncorporated in the new cushioning and holding means shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a foldable and slidable closure, with a corner broken away to show a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. '2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the upper, right-hand corner of FIG. 1, partially shown in section with the closure fully closed;

FIG; 3 is. an end elevational view of the closure and track assembly shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, is a horizontal sectional view taken generally on the line 4.-.-'4 of FIG. 2;

FIG.- 5 is a fragmentary, front elevational view similar to FIG; 2 but showing the leading pair of rollers in eng'agement with the resilient catch, with the closure almost hutnot quite closed;

' FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional the. line 6.6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 but showing another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8, is a vertical sectional the line 8-8, of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a horizontal sectional on the line 9-.-9' of FIG; 7;

view taken generally on view taken generally FIG. 10 is a somewhat enlarged perspective view of the adjustable abutment member of the embodiment of the inventionsliown in FIGS. 7 to 9 inclusive;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentatry, partially sectioned, front elevational view similar to other embodiment of the invention with the closure al most but. not quite closed;

FIG; 12 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of theembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 11 with the closure fully closed;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary, partially sectioned, front elevationalview similar to FIG. 5 but showing yet another embodiment ofthe invention with the closure almost but not quite closed; and

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 2- of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 13 with the closure fully closed 1' FIG. 5 but showingstill' an -v In FIG. 1 a closure member 15 is shown which is movable between open and closed positions within a supporting structure including an upper frame member 16 and a side jamb 117. The closure member 15 is provided with a vertically extending post 18 at the leading edge thereof, which post includes a pull member 19 and a vertically extending resilient cushion strip 20 which is adapted to abut against a suitable facing strip 17a on the jamb when the closure member is in its fully closed position. The post 18 is suspended from a trolley 21 which is movable Within a horizontally extending track member 22. The

track member is secured against the underside of the frame member 16.

An. embodiment of the resilient catch of the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 23, is shown mounted within the track member 22 at the point where it is desired to cushion and hold the closure member 15 in its closed position. Obviously, the catch 23 could be mounted at any point along the track member 22 in order to hold the closure member 15 in an open position or any other desired position.

Although the catch 23 of the invention could be utili-zed with any type closure suspended from an overhead track and trolley assembly, the closure 15 illustrated herein is a fabric covered, foldable and slidable accordion type closure which may have, for example, a structure such as that disclosed in Patent No. 2,732,894. In the particular closure member shown in the drawings, the upper edge of the fabric covering 24 extends approximately half way up the sides of the track 22.

The track member 22, as best shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 inclusive, is provided with a downwardly facing top portion 26, a pair of depending side portions 27, and a pair of laterially spaced, preferably curved, upwardly facing roller or wheel engaging rail portions 28. The trolley 21 comprises ahorizontally elongated member 30 having two pairs of laterally spaced wheels or rollers 31 which are rotatably mounted at opposite ends thereof and adapted to be supported for rolling engagement upon the rail portions 28 of the track member. The elongated trolley member 30 has a depending bifurcated portion 32 which extends downwardly between the laterally spaced rail portions 28 of the track member and into the upper endof the post 18. A pin 33 which is horizontally mounted in the upper end' of the post 18 extends through aligned bores 34 formed in the bifurcated portion of the trolley member in order to suspend the closure view taken generally onmember 15 from the trolley.

The embodiment of the catch 23 shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 inclusive comprises a flat elongated leaf spring 36 having a portion 39 longitudinally bowed downwardly intermediate its ends and being fixedly secured at one of its ends to the underside of the top portion 26 of the track member 22' by a screw 37 with its other end free to slidably engage with the underside of the top portion of the track. The spring 36 is further characterized by laterally spaced marginal portions 38 which overlie the roller engaging portions 28 of the track for yieldable engagement with the upper portions of the leading pair of rollers 31 upon movement of the closure member 15 into its closed position.

In order to provide the new and improved cushioning and holding action of the catch 23, an abutment member is provided which limits or restricts upward movement of the center of the bowed portion 39 of the spring toward the underside of the top portion 26 of the track upon engagement of the rollers 31 therewith, whereby to cause upward flexing of the marginal portions 38 of the bowed portion 39 of the spring? toward the underside of" the top portion of the track. This lateral flexing, action: of: the spring. 36- is illustrated in FIGS. 5. and 6;. As shown in FIG. 5, this lateral flexing causes the nonsecured or free end of the spring to straighten out and momentarily move away from the top portion of the track. The abutment member shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 inclusive comprises a screw 41 which is mounted in the top portion 26 of the track with its head extending toward and preferably in abutment with the bowed portion 39 of the spring.

As' it is desirable to be able to vary the resiliency of the catch 23 and the resistance offered by' the same, means are provided which permit of adjustment of the abutment screw 41 toward and away from the underside of the top portion of the track. This means comprises an opening 42 which is formed in the spring 36 adjacent the head of the screw 41 and which has a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the head of the screw, thus insuring movement restricting engagement between the screw and the spring while permitting of insertion of a small screw driver through the opening to adjust the screw,

After the leading pair of rollers 31 has been advancedpast the bowed portion 39 of the spring, the marginal portions 38 of the spring will spring back into their normal positions so that the bowed portion of the spring will be disposed or nestled between the two pairs of rollers, to yieldably resist movement of the closure member in either direction.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7 to inclusive. In this embodiment, all of the structural elements with the exception of the adjustable abutment member are similar to the structural elements shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 inclusive. For'convenience therefore,

the same reference numerals primed have been used to identify the elements of this embodiment to the extent that they correspond to the elements of the first described embodiment.

The abutment member shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 inclusive comprises a plate member 45 which is shorter than the spring 36' and which has a relatively narrow downturned abutment portion 46' at one end and an elongated slot 47 in the main body portion of the plate. The member 45 is disposed between the leaf spring 36 and the underside of the top portion 26' of the track member 22' with the attaching screw 37' extending through the slot 47 and with the abutment portion 46 extending downwardly toward the center of the bowed portion 39' of the spring. The portion 46 thus limits or restricts the upward movement of the center of the bowed portion 39 of'the spring toward the top portion of the track upon engagement of the marginal portions 38 thereof by the laterally spaced rollers 31, to provide the same upward flexing action of the marginal portions laterally of the spring as described with reference to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 inclusive. By loosening the attaching screw 37, the member 45 may be shifted longi tudinally of the spring so that the abutment portion there of may engage a differently bowed portion of the spring to vary the resistance offered to the rollers when the closure member is moved into its closed position.

Other forms of abutment members might instead be provided, including a projection stamped out of the leaf spring itself. In a trolley construction in which rollers or wheels are not employed, much the same cushioning and holding action could be obtained by having the catch enabutment screw 52 is secured to the underside of the top portion 261: of the track in the lateral center thereof and spaced from the screw 51 toward the end of the track 22a. The downward-ly disposed head of the abutment screw 52 engages the lateral center of the spring 50 and normally flexes the non-secured end of the spring 50 downwardly away from the top portion 26a of the track and into the path of the rollers 31a of the trolley 30a. The spring 50 is of such a width that the marginal edges thereof overlie the upturned roller-supporting rails 28a of the track. The portion of the spring 50 positively engaged by the head of the abutment screw 52 is flexed downwardly slightly below the top of the rollers 31a.

When the leading pair of rollers 31a are moved past the spring 50, as when the closure 15a is moved into its closed position, the marginal edges of the spring 50 upon being resiliently engaged by the rollers 31a, as in FIG. 11,

are flexed laterally upwardly to provide a cushioning effect when the closure 15a is moved into its closed position. This action is the same as that fully described with regard to the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 6 inclusive and best shown in FIG. 6. When the closure member 15a is in its fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 12, the leading pair of rollers 31a longitudinally flex the non-secured end of the spring 50 upwardly toward the top portion 26a of the track 22a to resiliently hold the closure member 15a in its closed position.

A small hole 54 is formed in the spring 50 adjacent the head of the abutment screw 52 to permit ready adjustment of the screw 52, as described in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 6 inclusive, to vary the resistance offered to the rollers 31a.

.In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the structural elements which are similar to those of the other embodiments have been given the same reference numerals with the suflix b to the extent that they correspond to the elements of the other embodiments.

An elongated Spring member has one end 61 secured against the underside of the top portion 26b of the track 22b by a screw 62 and an oifset portion 63 which is spaced below the top portion 26b of the track and generally parallel to the secured end 61. The spring 60 is formed with'a pair of reverse bends intermediate the secured end 61 and the portion 63 and has a width such .that the marginal edges thereof overlie the roller-supporting rails 28b of the track 22b. The portion 63 is spaced sufficiently below the top portion 26b of the track that the marginal edges thereof are adapted to be resiliently engaged by the rollers 31b'when the closure member 15b is moved into its fully closed position'.

An adjacent abutment screw 65 is mounted in the top portion 26b of the track 22b so that its downwardly disposed head engages the lateral center of the portion 63 of the spring '60. With the abutment screw 65 thus limiting movement of the lateral center of the portion 63 of the spring upwardly toward the underside of the top gageable with slidable but non-rotatable rail engaging porto 6 inclusive, the same reference numerals with a suffixa have been used to identify the elements of this embodi-- ment to the extent that they correspond to the elements of the first described embodiment.

An elongated flat leaf spring 50 has one end (the end farthest from the end of the track'22a or the left end as portion of the track when the trolley 30b is moved therepast in sliding the closure member 15b into its fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 13, the marginal edges of the portion 63 of the spring upon engagementwith the leading pair of rollers 31b will be laterally flexed upwardly toward the top portion of the track to cushion theclosing of the closure member 15b. This action is the same as that shown in FIG. 6 and fully described herein previously. However, when the closure member 15b is in its fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 14, the marginal edges have sprung back into their normal position and the closure member 15b is resiliently held in its fully closed position as the result of resilient engagement by the leading pair of rollers 31b with the viewed in FIG. 11) secured to the underside of the 7 portion 26a of the track by a screw 5l An adjustable portion 63; 1

A relatively small adjusting hole 67 is formed in. the

portion 63; of the spring 60 adjacent the head of the abutment screw 65 to permit adjustment thereof toward and away from the top portion 26b of the track, as previously described herein, so as to permit varying the resistance offered tothe rollers 3150f the trolley 30b as the closure member 155 is moved into its closed position.

Iclaim:

1. In a foldable and slidable closure assembly of the type in which a closure is suspended by means of a trolley from an overhead track for movement longitudinally of'th'e i'atter'between open and closed positions, which track is characterized by a downwardly facing top portion and by a pair of laterally spaced upwardly facing wheel-engaging portions spaced below the top portion, and which trolley is characterized by a body portion from which the leading edge of the closure is suspended and by two pairs of laterally spaced wheels supported for rolling engagement on the wheel-engaging portions of the track with the diameter of said wheels being such that they project above said body portion of said trolley, an improved resilient catch for the closure assembly comprising, an elongated leaf spring having a width approximately equal to the width of the top portion of said track and being disposed against the underside of said top portion with its longitudinal axis oriented lengthwise of the track whereby the lateral spaced side edge portions of said spring are disposed above said upwardly facing wheel-engaging portions of said track, means fixedly securing one end of said spring to the underside of the top portion of the track, said spring having a portion intermediate the opposite ends thereof which is uniformly bowed downwardly from the underside of the top portion of the track a distance greater than the distance between the underside of the top portion of the track and the uppermost portions of the trolley wheels and less than the distance between the underside of the top portion of the track and the uppermost portion of the body portion of the trolley, whereby said intermediate downwardly bowed portion of the spring is disposed in the path of the trolley for resilient engagement of the side edge portions only thereof by the wheels of the trolley, and an abutment member mounted on the underside of the top portion of the track and extending downwardly into abutting generally point engagement with the lateral center of the lowermost portion of said downwardly bowed portion of said spring whereby to prevent upward movement of said lateral center of said downwardly bowed spring portion when the side edge portions thereof are flexed upwardly by the uppermost portions of a pair of said trolley wheels being moved thereunder whereby said downwardly bowed spring portion is flexed about the longitudinal axis of the spring to cushion the movement of the trolley to a stop, said downwardly bowed intermediate portion of said spring then being disposed between said two pairs of laterally spaced wheels whereby to resiliently hold the trolley and suspended closure in said stopped position.

2. In a track and trolley assembly for a foldable and slidable closure member wherein the trolley from which the leading edge of the closure member is suspended is characterized by a body portion and by at least one pair of transversely spaced rollers of a size such that the upper portions thereof project above the uppermost surface of said body portion, said trolley being movable within an elongated horizontally extending track which is characterized by a pair of transversely spaced, upwardly facing, roller-supporting rail portions and by a top portion spaced above the rail portions, an adjustable catch for resiliently holding the closure member in a closed position comprising, an elongated leaf spring oriented with its longitudinal axis disposed lengthwise of the track and disposed against the underside of the top portion of the track with one end thereof being secured to the underside of the top portion of the track,- the width of said; spring being such that the side edge portions thereof extend above said roller-engaging rail portions, said spring being characterized by a portion intermediate its ends which is uniformly bowed downwardly a distance greater than the distance between the underside of the top portion of the track and the upper portions of said rollers and less than the distance between the underside of the top portion of the track and the uppermost surface of said body portion whereby said downwardly flexed portion is disposed generally in the path of movement of the trolley with the side edge portions of said downwardly bowed portion being resiliently engageable by the transversely spaced rollers of the trolley, and a screw member 'adjustably mounted in the lateral center of the top portion of the track and extending downwardly from the underside thereof for abutting generally point engagement with the lateral center of said downwardly bowed portion of said leaf spring whereby to limit the upward movement of said lateral center of said downwardly bowed portion toward the top portion of the track upon engagement of the side edge portions thereof by said spaced rollers whereupon said side edge portions are flexed toward the top portion of the track about the longitudinal axis of the spring to cushion the movement of the closure member into its closed position, said screw member being adjustable whereby the spring engaging portion thereof is shiftable toward and away from the underside of the top portion of the track to vary the spring resistance oifered to the trolley rollers when the closure member is moved into its closed position.

3. In a foldable and slidable closure assembly of the type in which a closure is suspended by means of a trolley from an overhead track for movement longitudinally of the latter between open and closed positions, which track is characterized by a downwardly facing top portion and by a pair of laterally spaced upwardly facing wheel-engaging portions disposed below the top portion, and which trolley is characterized by a body portion from which the leading edge of the closure is suspended and by two pairs of laterally spaced supporting wheels for rolling co-action with the wheel-engaging portions of the track with the diameter of said wheels being such that the upper portions thereof extend above the uppermost surface of said body portion, an improved catch for resiliently retaining the closure in its closed position comprising, an elongated leaf spring which is associated with the track adjacent that portion thereof toward which the leading edge of the closure moves when the closure is being moved into its closed position, which spring is disposed against the underside of the top portion of the track with its longitudinal axis being disposed lengthwise of the track, said spring being uniformly bowed downwardly intermediate its ends a distance greater than the distance between the underside of the top portion of said track and the upper portions of said trolley wheels and less than the distance between the underside of the top portion of the track and the uppermost surface of the body portion of the trolley, being fixedly secured at one of its ends to the underside of the top portion of the track with its other end free to slidably engage with the underside of said top portion, and being characterized by a width such that the side edge portions thereof extend above the wheel-engaging portions of the track whereby the side edge portions of said downwardly bowed portion are positioned for resilient yieldable engagement by the upper portions of the trolley wheels, and abut-ment means adjustably mounted on the underside of the top portion of the track and extending downwardly for abutting generally point engagement with the lateral center of the lowermost portion of the downwardly bowed portion of said spring between the laterally spaced side edge portions thereof, said abutment means serving to 7 v e restrict movement of the lateral center of said downwardly bowed portion of the spring toward the underside of the top portion of the track whereby to cause upward flexing of said side edge portions of said downwardly bowed portion about the longitudinal axis of the spring upon said side edge portions being engaged by the upper portions of the leading pair of said trolley wheels, said abutment means being adjustable toward and away from the underside of the top portion of the track to permit varying the resilient force encountered by the leading pair of wheels of the trolley as the closure is being moved into its closed position.

References Cited in theme of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Knapp Apr. 29, Kling Dec. 18, Oberdorfer et a1. June 8, Green Nov. 13, Harris Ian.,31, Forest -Aug. 5,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 20, 

